5-Amino-1-(4-benzoyl-benzyl)-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxamides have been known as anticoccidial agents. As such the compounds and the preparations thereof were disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,201 issued on May 20, 1986 to Richard J. Bochis, John C. Chabala and Michael H. Fisher.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease which is characterized by hyperproliferation of the epidermis as well as by focal accumulations of lymphocytic cells. Cell cycle estimates in psoriasis suggest that the average germinative psoriatic cell divides every 37 hours compared to 152 hours in normal skin, and the role of hyperproliferation in the production of lesions is evidenced by the fact that antiprolifelitive agents such as methotrexate are presently used therapeutically for symptomatic treatment of the disease. Other chemotherapeutic agents which have been used experimentally with success in clearing lesions include similar antimetabolites which disrupt nucleotide metabolism and thereby inhibit proliferation such as mycophenolic acid or thioguanine.
As disclosed in a copending application U.S. Ser. No. 87,494 filed Aug. 31, 1987, we found that these known 5-amino-1-(4-benzoylbenzyl)-1,2,3-triazole4-carboxamides are effective antiproliferative agents potentially effective in the treatment and management of psoriasis, inflammatory bowel syndrome, cutaneous leishmanilisis, and certain types of cancer that involved the transportation of individual cells to other tissues from a metastasizing tumor. In addition, we found that the novel compounds of the present invention are unexpectedly more (up to 10-fold) active than the known compounds.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a new class of compounds for treating and managing psoriasis, inflammatory bowel syndrome, cutaneous leishmanilisis and certain types of cancer. It is also the object of this invention to provide pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment using the novel compounds as the active ingredients.